The Florence & Daniel Guerlain Collection

Florence and Daniel Guerlain have agreed to exhibit 140 drawings from their collections at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy during the Armory Show (March 26-30) and beyond. Every year, private collectors in New York briefly open their doors to visitors during the Armory Show, one of the most prestigious contemporary art shows in the world. But never before has a collection from overseas made the trip expressly for this occasion. The Armory Show’s organizers have marked this initiative of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy by highlighting the Guerlain Exhibit in their VIP circuit.

With this pioneering exhibit, Florence and Daniel Guerlain are emphasizing their desire to become ever more involved in international art. Indeed, their collection of over 400 works is by no means limited to French artists, but encompasses works from all around the world, including many from the United States. French collectors have long been in the vanguard of international collecting, their eclectic and cosmopolitan tastes ranging widely across national borders, and Florence and Daniel Guerlain are no exception.

Giving the New York exhibit an additional transatlantic twist, the works were selected by an American artist, David Webster, who was recently in residence in France. He chose works by 21 French artists, including the highly praised Gérard Garouste, Fabien Verschaere and Tatiana Trouvé (winner of the 2007 Marcel Duchamp Prize). Thirteen American artists are also featured in the show, joining artists from twenty different nations.

Also included in the exhibit are works by Javier Pérez, Jean Luc Verna and Silvia Bächli, three artists who were short-listed for the Guerlain Foundation’s new biennal prize for contemporary drawing. The Daniel and Florence Guerlain Foundation of Contemporary Art’s launched this new prize in March 2007, when it was awarded to Switzerland’s Silvia Bächli. She received 15,000 euros, and the Foundation donated a very important drawing to the Georges Pompidou National Museum of Modern Art’s Cabinet d’Art Graphique. The two runners-up, Javier Pérez and Jean Luc Verna, each received 2,500 euros.

The prize is open to French or foreign artists who have a special cultural link with France and for whom drawing is a significant part of their work. Candidates are selected by a six-member committee of contemporary art specialists, and eight private collectors then designate a winner. The next prize will be awarded in spring 2009.

Artists in “The Florence & Daniel Guerlain Collection – Select Drawings” Exhibit

Argentina: Guillermo Kuitca Austria: Günter Brus Belgium: Wim Delvoye Canada: Marcel Dzama Chile: Sandra Vásquez de la Horra China: Wei Guo, Wei Qingji France: Jean Michel Alberola, Jean-Charles Blais, Christian Boltanski, Céline Cléron, Philippe Cognée, Roland Flexner, Gérard Garouste, Loris Gréaud, Fabrice Hyber, Jean Le Gac, Eugène Leroy, Philippe Mayaux, Bernard Moninot, Ernest Pignon Ernest, François Rouan, Georges Rousse, Yvan Salomone, Tatiana Trouvé, Françoise Vergier, Jean-Luc Verna, Fabien Verschaere Georgia: Andro Wekua Germany: Dieter Appelt, Gerhard Richter Great Britain: Roger Ackling, Tony Cragg, James Rielly Holland: Marlene Dumas, Erik Van Lieshout India: Rina Banerjee Italy: Valerio Adami, Alighiero Boetti, Giuseppe Penone, Serse Japan: Katsura Funakoshi Portugal: Jorge Queiroz Russia: Pavel Pepperstein Spain: Eduardo Arroyo, Miguel Barcelo, Javier Pérez Sweden: Erik Dietman Switzerland: Silvia Bächli, Markus Raetz United States: Joseph Havel, Denis Oppenheim, Tony Oursler, Joyce Pensato, Raymond Pettibon, Jerry Phillips, Chloe Piene, Rona Pondick, Richard Prince, Kiki Smith, Nancy Spero, David Webster, Rob Wynne

The Florence & Daniel Guerlain Collection

mit Guillermo Kuitca, Günter Brus, Wim Delvoye, Marcel Dzama, Sandra Vasquez de la Horra, Wei Guo, Wei Qingji, Jean-Michel Alberola, Jean-Charles Blais, Christian Boltanski, Celine Cleron, Philippe Cognee, Roland Flexner, Gerard Garouste, Loris Greaud, Fabrice Hybert, Jean Le Gac, Eugène Leroy, Philippe Mayaux, Bernard Moninot, Ernest Pignon Ernest, Francois Rouan, Georges Rousse, Yvan Salomone, Tatiana Trouve, Francoise Vergier, Jean-Luc Verna, Fabien Verschaere, Andro Wekua, Dieter Appelt, Gerhard Richter, Roger Ackling, Tony Cragg, James Rielly, Marlene Dumas, Erik van Lieshout, Rina Banerjee, Valerio Adami, Alighiero e Boetti, Giuseppe Penone, Serse , Katsura Funakoshi, Jorge Queiroz, Pavel Pepperstein, Eduardo Arroyo, Miquel Barcelo, Javier Perez , Erik Dietman, Silvia Bächli, Markus Raetz, Joseph Havel, Dennis Oppenheim, Tony Oursler, Joyce Pensato, Raymond Pettibon, Jerry Phillips, Chloe Piene, Rona Pondick, Richard Prince, Kiki Smith, Nancy Spero, David Webster, Rob Wynne